What is iyour 2021 ALCS Roster that you wish would happen? Framber Valdez (Game 1 starter) Jose Urquidy (Game 2 starter) Cristian Javier (Game 3 starter) Zack Greinke (Game 4 possible starter or middle relief for Gm 1-3) Jake Odorizzi (Game 4 possible starter or middle relief for Gm 1-3) Lance McCullers Jr. (Game 7 starter if necessary assuming he'shurt) Luis Garcia - Middle or long reliever-2nd choice after a Greinke or Jake. Kendall Graveman Brandon Bielak Phil Maton Ryan Pressly Ryne Stanek Jose Altuve Alex Bregman Carlos Correa Aledmys Diaz Yuli Gurriel Jason Castro Martin Maldonado Garrett Stubbs Yordan Alvarez Michael Brantley Chas McCormick Jake Meyers Jose Siri Kyle Tucker Optional: Marwin G if Jake can't play.
Assuming Lance is out, who do you sub in? Also, Yimi in for Bielak. I get the logic in having Bielak, and I know I know Yimi is a dumpster fire, but there's this: EDIT: side note, but WHY THE **** DID BROOKS ****ING RALEY GET 36 RUNNERS TO STRAND THIS SEASON????
I like Dusty's decision to start Luis in Game 2. He had a bad call and it snowballed. But I didn't think he pitched terribly.
Garcia is the game 2 and 6 starter and I'm good with that. He's been much better at home so I'm sure they set up the rotation to accommodate that fact. Urquidy pitched 5 shutout innings on the road in the World Series, so that experience is giving him the game 3 start. Javier only has enough in the tank to be a 2 inning opener right now so he could start game 4 and then that game will probably be a combination of multiple former starters.
I think they’re going to go: C(3): Maldy, Castro, Stubbs IF(5): Gurriel, Altuve, Correa, Bregman, Diaz OF(6): Tucker, Brantley, Alvarez, McCormick, Meyers, Siri SP(4): Valdez, Garcia, Urquidy, Odorizzi RP(8): Pressly, Graveman, Stanek, Javier, Garcia, Maton, Raley, Greinke Going to need every SP to pitch above themselves. Likely going to be a lot of pressure on the bullpen. Hopefully Javier and Greinke are prepared to give 2-3 innings each per performance. If I were Click I would be tempted to replace Raley with Solomon, Bielak, or another arm who is stretched out.
Garcia has pitched better at home overall this season, but since September 1 he's gotten blown up at home (.380 xwOBA) as well as on the road. I would be very pleasantly surprised if he's able to make it into the fourth inning in his start.
Hopefully it will a little but I think he's in a position where's simply pitched too many innings this year. Kinda like with Verlander towards the end of the 2019 post-season when he still had his velo but something was just off about him and he was a shell of himself.
I'd strongly consider 13 pitchers (taking off Stubbs) with Raley and one of Solomon/Bielak as another long reliever. I just don't see our starters working very deep in this series outside of hopefully Framber and maybe Urquidy (if he keeps the ball in the park) and with three straight games there's going to be much more pressure put on the pen than in the ALDS.
Peter Solomon should get the Lance spot, he could do a good job of eating innings in a game you probably won’t win.
Legit question: why are we carrying 3 catchers?? In the regular season, wasn't Aledmys the emergency catcher? If you're down to your 3rd catcher in a playoff game, I'm assuming the other two have injuries anyways, so at that point, wouldn't you rather the ABs go to Diaz? I know defense plays a part, but is that worth the additional roster spot that could be going to another BP arm?
The ability to safely pinch hit for Maldonado late. Having to go to an emergency position player as a catcher is an absolute catastrophe. Catching major league pitches and presenting them as strikes is far, far harder than people realize. In a 5 game series with 2 off days you almost always have an excess of arms. I don't think we will carry a 3rd catcher in the ALCS
yeah there is no reason to carry three for this series. I would rather have Marwin or Siri take that spot or both if Meyers is out.
Carrying 3 catcher allows the manager to confidently pinch hit for Maldy early in the game if the situation calls for it. They can put Castro in without worrying about being totally screwed if he gets hurt. I don’t necessarily think it’s worth it but that’s why they do it.
McCullers and Stubbs out, Odorizzi and Taylor in. Definitely think they should have gone with a multi-inning option over Taylor. Oh well, let’s roll.
Well, that confirms no Lance. Only thing I would've done different is have Solomon instead of Taylor, since he can go more innings.